One of our humble readers and ardent supporters informed us of a devastating loss for one of Ogden Valley's last remaining farmers, and has challenged us to help with a fund-raising campaign on behalf of our neighbors.
We at the forum are honored to help out and urge all residents and friends of Ogden Valley to help a neighbor in need. We have taken a much needed break from the Powderville land grab, and will direct our efforts to helping others - please join us:
To Save a Farm, We Must Save a Farmer
Ogden Valley began as a farming community and held that distinction for well over a century until dirt became worth more than alfalfa. During the ‘80's, the federal government subsidized farmers to stop or reduce the production of milk as well as crops. The local effect meant that many lifelong farmers sold their herds and ultimately cashed in by selling and subdividing their property.
Fast forward to 2008, and there are very few full time farmers or ranchers in the valley. Holsteins have been replaced with homes.
Farming is a tough way to make a living and the profit margin is slim. Often, farmers have to mortgage everything they have just to plant the spring crops.
Farmers today face even more challenges. Neighbors, who move into once farm land to enjoy the rural atmosphere, complain about the stench and noise from the bordering farm land, even though the farm and animals have been there for more than a century. Or when an animal escapes from the field, the farmer lives in fear of legal action if the cow gets hit by a car or causes property damage.
Our Local Farmer
Tracy Woolsey grew up on a farm in Morgan County. He married Casa Lewis from Liberty and they chose to raise their family in Huntsville. Tracy decided to give his kids the same farm life he grew up with, and while the path has not been easy, it has been fulfilling, as he farms hundreds of acres in the Huntsville area. He has a genuine love for the land and has imparted that love onto his kids who tirelessly work by his side. The Woolsey’s may well be the hardest working family in Ogden Valley.
The Woolsey’s suffered a devastating loss recently as a result of near record snowfall this year. Their farm equipment has been stored in one of the Monastery’s out buildings, and the building collapsed under the snow load, causing substantial damage to the Woolsey’s equipment. To add insult to injury, much of the equipment was self insured, i.e., uninsured.
In true Valley spirit and in conjunction with the Ogden Valley Forum and Ogden Valley News, we are urging everyone to dig deep and offer anything you can to help the Woolsey’s rebuild, repair and replace. Tracy, the tough and stoic farmer, is full of pride and would rather handle the issue silently and solely, but we cannot sit back and watch our neighbor suffer alone.
The Ogden Valley Forum, http://www.ogden-valley.blogspot.com/ has created a donation link where you can submit donations electronically. An account has also been created at Zion’s Bank for the effort, and you may send checks made out to “The Woolsey Farm Relief Fund” in care of:
Woolsey Farm Relief Donation Account #553317405
c/o Zion’s Bank
2555 Wolf Creek Rd.
Eden, UT 84310
While you are at the Valley Market, you may also stop by Zion’s Bank and make a deposit to the account.
One Hundred percent of your donations will go to the Woolsey’s to help them rebuild (excluding nominal fees charged by PayPal for electronic donations). There is no overhead.
We also urge Scouts, Church and School groups to remember the Woolsey’s in their fund raising and service projects.
Watch the Ogden Valley Forum and Ogden Valley News for updates and more information, and thanks for your support.
To save a farm, we must first save a farmer.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
House Comittee Passes SB-25 Out of Committee Unanimously with Retroactive Provisions AND Powder Mountain residents Get To Vote!!!
UPDATES BELOW
Ogden Valley residents received some good news today from Capital Hill as Gage Froerer successfully moved to amend SB 25 with a retroactive provision, thus sending the bill to the House floor. Click here for more details and to hear audio of the debate courtesy of the Weber County Forum.
As we promised earlier, Powder Mountain residents will have a chance to vote after all.
In a February 25, 2008 “newsletter” to those Eden residents being pulled into Powder Mountain Town without being provided a vote in that decision, Powder Mountain has graciously announced the residents will have a vote on one of three “town” logos under consideration. How generous of the Powder Mountain owners to grant this privilege when they are continuing to deny the residents a say in whether or not they want to even be a part of the town, or be able to vote on who will initially run the town via the town council.
The newsletter goes on to say that the residents will be allowed to vote for their town council members in the next municipal election, or to quote the newsletter, “Municipal elections are held on off years, so the next election will be held in November of 2009.” What they haven’t bothered to make clear in their message is that in November, 2009 only two of the town council positions will be up for election or reelection. It will be 2011 before the town residents will have a vote in the next two positions, and possibly gain control of their own town council.
As to the remainder of the “newsletter” it denounces the rumors being spread that the Powder Mountain owners have not met with residents, stresses that they are under no obligation to do so, and sings the praises of their efforts to communicate via town meetings and large community meetings. Must be Cache County community they’re referring to here. It certainly hasn’t been the Ogden Valley community!
UPDATE: 10 am
Once again, the Weber County Forum has been working overtime on our Powder Mountain landgrab in this morning's "Time for the Lumpencitizens to Get Even More Involved."
Ogden Valley residents received some good news today from Capital Hill as Gage Froerer successfully moved to amend SB 25 with a retroactive provision, thus sending the bill to the House floor. Click here for more details and to hear audio of the debate courtesy of the Weber County Forum.
As we promised earlier, Powder Mountain residents will have a chance to vote after all.
In a February 25, 2008 “newsletter” to those Eden residents being pulled into Powder Mountain Town without being provided a vote in that decision, Powder Mountain has graciously announced the residents will have a vote on one of three “town” logos under consideration. How generous of the Powder Mountain owners to grant this privilege when they are continuing to deny the residents a say in whether or not they want to even be a part of the town, or be able to vote on who will initially run the town via the town council.
The newsletter goes on to say that the residents will be allowed to vote for their town council members in the next municipal election, or to quote the newsletter, “Municipal elections are held on off years, so the next election will be held in November of 2009.” What they haven’t bothered to make clear in their message is that in November, 2009 only two of the town council positions will be up for election or reelection. It will be 2011 before the town residents will have a vote in the next two positions, and possibly gain control of their own town council.
As to the remainder of the “newsletter” it denounces the rumors being spread that the Powder Mountain owners have not met with residents, stresses that they are under no obligation to do so, and sings the praises of their efforts to communicate via town meetings and large community meetings. Must be Cache County community they’re referring to here. It certainly hasn’t been the Ogden Valley community!
UPDATE: 10 am
Once again, the Weber County Forum has been working overtime on our Powder Mountain landgrab in this morning's "Time for the Lumpencitizens to Get Even More Involved."
Charles Trentlemen discusses Powderville
Today we read an excellent article from Charles Trentlemen who addresses the Powderville issue as only he can. Rudi, from the Weber County Forum does a masterful job of discussing Charles' article as well as an editorial from today's Salt Lake Tribune.
We have heard that Powderville residents will have an opportunity to vote after all, but we will maintain suspense by posting the details later this evening.
Let's just say, there are some extreme conditions attached to their ability to vote.
More to come, our humble readers.......
We have heard that Powderville residents will have an opportunity to vote after all, but we will maintain suspense by posting the details later this evening.
Let's just say, there are some extreme conditions attached to their ability to vote.
More to come, our humble readers.......
Monday, February 25, 2008
‘Powderville Six’ to take on ski resort over vote - UPDATE - Live feed to this morning's House Political Subdivisions Committee hearing
UPDATES BELOW
A story in the Top of Utah section of the Standard Examiner by Marshall Thompson:
EDEN — As the Powder Mountain developers’ petition to form a chunk of the Ogden Valley into a town moves forward, future residents are taking matters into their own hands.
A group of 40 voting-age residents met Friday to elect their own ad hoc council. Darla Van Zeben, Deja Mitchell, Jim Halay, Ryan Bushell, Layne Sheridan and Norman Belnap are the six people who will unofficially represent “Powderville,” which is a nickname for the residential neighborhoods that were drawn into Powder Mountain Town without a vote.
“We agreed to work together on tactics and plans and report back to our residents,” Halay said. “We elected a group to speak for us.”
Under a controversial law, which the Utah Legislature amended last week, Powder Mountain owners can incorporate a town and then effectively choose the members of the first town council. According to the old law, which still applies to Powder Mountain, the Weber County Commission will appoint the mayor and town council from a list of qualified applicants submitted by the developers.
Lisa Davis, a spokeswoman for Powder Mountain, said the developers have yet to finalize their list of potential council members. She said that even though the law does not require it, the owners have talked with most of the residents to gather potential names for the positions. But Halay said he wants to vote on his representatives, and any law that does not allow him to do that is fundamentally unconstitutional. “We cannot allow a corporation to come in and take away our rights,” he said. The Powderville Six will first attempt to work out a compromise with the Powder Mountain owners that would allow residents to vote, Halay said. “I love Powder Mountain. It’s the only place I ski,” he said. “So, we’re looking for a way to come to terms.” Davis said she could not comment on the possibility of any compromise that would secure voting rights for the residents until she has more details. She added that the owners were not concerned about the possible disenfranchisement or about the possibility the law might be unconstitutional. “They’ve been really proactive under the law that exists, and I don’t think they’ve even thought about that,” she said. If the Powderville Six cannot reach a compromise with Powder Mountain owners, Halay said, they may have to seek legal aid. The Utah chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union has received two complaints about the law, said Marina Lowe, a staff attorney for the ACLU. It has not come up with a position yet, but will be looking into it, she said. In the meantime, the Powderville Six are making plans and hoping that future Powder Mountain residents will have a vote in their new town.
UPDATE: 10 am
There were a couple of letters to the editor over the weekend from valley residents regarding Powderville.
Bruce Magill of Nordic Valley is "amazed at the Standard Examiner's finding and interviewing an Ogden Valley resident who thinks the actions are OK."
Cynthia Maher of Eden speaks of all the "greedy people" in her gentle rant.
And in saving the best for last, our good friend Rudi at the Weber County Forum has posted a live audio feed from this morning's House Political Subdivisions Committee hearing.
And don't miss Rudi's post on Sunday, which includes comments from "Lionel" who pokes a jab at us with his erroneous statement, "Gage Floerer (sp) web side(sp) other wise known as the Ogden Valley Utah Forum." Apparently, because we gave Gage the benefit of the doubt and posted part of a message received from Gage in a desperate hope that he will be able to help his constituents, Lionel now claims the Ogden Valley Forum is now Gage's.
We simply gave Gage some press time just like we continue to do for "Lionel" - remember, this is an open forum.
In fact, we will even give Powder Mountain owner Mark Arnold the opportunity to opine on the site for Ogden Valley residents. What say you Mark? If you won't meet with Ogden Valley residents to discuss your plans and our concerns, then how about spreading your word to Ogden Valley residents via our forum.
A story in the Top of Utah section of the Standard Examiner by Marshall Thompson:
EDEN — As the Powder Mountain developers’ petition to form a chunk of the Ogden Valley into a town moves forward, future residents are taking matters into their own hands.
A group of 40 voting-age residents met Friday to elect their own ad hoc council. Darla Van Zeben, Deja Mitchell, Jim Halay, Ryan Bushell, Layne Sheridan and Norman Belnap are the six people who will unofficially represent “Powderville,” which is a nickname for the residential neighborhoods that were drawn into Powder Mountain Town without a vote.
“We agreed to work together on tactics and plans and report back to our residents,” Halay said. “We elected a group to speak for us.”
Under a controversial law, which the Utah Legislature amended last week, Powder Mountain owners can incorporate a town and then effectively choose the members of the first town council. According to the old law, which still applies to Powder Mountain, the Weber County Commission will appoint the mayor and town council from a list of qualified applicants submitted by the developers.
Lisa Davis, a spokeswoman for Powder Mountain, said the developers have yet to finalize their list of potential council members. She said that even though the law does not require it, the owners have talked with most of the residents to gather potential names for the positions. But Halay said he wants to vote on his representatives, and any law that does not allow him to do that is fundamentally unconstitutional. “We cannot allow a corporation to come in and take away our rights,” he said. The Powderville Six will first attempt to work out a compromise with the Powder Mountain owners that would allow residents to vote, Halay said. “I love Powder Mountain. It’s the only place I ski,” he said. “So, we’re looking for a way to come to terms.” Davis said she could not comment on the possibility of any compromise that would secure voting rights for the residents until she has more details. She added that the owners were not concerned about the possible disenfranchisement or about the possibility the law might be unconstitutional. “They’ve been really proactive under the law that exists, and I don’t think they’ve even thought about that,” she said. If the Powderville Six cannot reach a compromise with Powder Mountain owners, Halay said, they may have to seek legal aid. The Utah chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union has received two complaints about the law, said Marina Lowe, a staff attorney for the ACLU. It has not come up with a position yet, but will be looking into it, she said. In the meantime, the Powderville Six are making plans and hoping that future Powder Mountain residents will have a vote in their new town.
UPDATE: 10 am
There were a couple of letters to the editor over the weekend from valley residents regarding Powderville.
Bruce Magill of Nordic Valley is "amazed at the Standard Examiner's finding and interviewing an Ogden Valley resident who thinks the actions are OK."
Cynthia Maher of Eden speaks of all the "greedy people" in her gentle rant.
And in saving the best for last, our good friend Rudi at the Weber County Forum has posted a live audio feed from this morning's House Political Subdivisions Committee hearing.
And don't miss Rudi's post on Sunday, which includes comments from "Lionel" who pokes a jab at us with his erroneous statement, "Gage Floerer (sp) web side(sp) other wise known as the Ogden Valley Utah Forum." Apparently, because we gave Gage the benefit of the doubt and posted part of a message received from Gage in a desperate hope that he will be able to help his constituents, Lionel now claims the Ogden Valley Forum is now Gage's.
We simply gave Gage some press time just like we continue to do for "Lionel" - remember, this is an open forum.
In fact, we will even give Powder Mountain owner Mark Arnold the opportunity to opine on the site for Ogden Valley residents. What say you Mark? If you won't meet with Ogden Valley residents to discuss your plans and our concerns, then how about spreading your word to Ogden Valley residents via our forum.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Gage Froerer SB25 and SB23
The latest information from Gage Froerer on SB25 and SB53. SB 25 will be pushed out of committee Monday. Gage will be running an amendment to make the effective date Jan. 1, 2008. Gage feels we have a 50/50 chance of passing the bill with his amendment in committee and even less on the floor, but he wants to send a message to the courts in case it goes that far.
The top priority is to get a bill passed to correct HB466 with a retro provision if we were able to get one, would guarantee a court case and the new bill would be held off from becoming effective until the court case was settled.
Gage feels the best course is, if necessary, file a suit from the citizens group on the basis of our right to vote. The County and State likewise will not fight this effort and we would stand a better chance of having a judge rule on our behalf and put the burden on the backs of the developers to pursue litigation.
The Attorney General’s office does not review bills prior to enactment. That job falls on the Attorney’s in legislative research who have found it to be constitutional but have said there is case law on both sides of this debate and they feel it could be overturned with a lawsuit.
Gage wants everyone to know he is not backing down on this issue on the basis of the retro. He firmly believe that we need a replacement to HB466 first and foremost, then we can deal with Powder Mountain.
If we fall on the sword of retro and lose the battle, we will be stuck with
HB466 for another year and that is not acceptable to Gage or us.
He will keep us posted on SB 25 in Committee.
Gage is concerned that there is a misunderstanding of SB53. In fact the end result would be that planning and zoning boards would have a higher profile.
Larry Zini
The top priority is to get a bill passed to correct HB466 with a retro provision if we were able to get one, would guarantee a court case and the new bill would be held off from becoming effective until the court case was settled.
Gage feels the best course is, if necessary, file a suit from the citizens group on the basis of our right to vote. The County and State likewise will not fight this effort and we would stand a better chance of having a judge rule on our behalf and put the burden on the backs of the developers to pursue litigation.
The Attorney General’s office does not review bills prior to enactment. That job falls on the Attorney’s in legislative research who have found it to be constitutional but have said there is case law on both sides of this debate and they feel it could be overturned with a lawsuit.
Gage wants everyone to know he is not backing down on this issue on the basis of the retro. He firmly believe that we need a replacement to HB466 first and foremost, then we can deal with Powder Mountain.
If we fall on the sword of retro and lose the battle, we will be stuck with
HB466 for another year and that is not acceptable to Gage or us.
He will keep us posted on SB 25 in Committee.
Gage is concerned that there is a misunderstanding of SB53. In fact the end result would be that planning and zoning boards would have a higher profile.
Larry Zini
Friday, February 22, 2008
Brandi Thompson Vertical Challenge, County Commission Agenda and Legislative updates
Updates below:
It has been a busy week at the forum as the attack on Ogden Valley residents took many paths. We hope to get a reprieve over the weekend and will encourage your support of what we feel is one of the most important charity events of the year.
Cory & Kathy Thompson of Huntsville are hosting the second annual Brandi Thompson Vertical Challenge in honor of their daughter who lost her life one year ago to Bacterial Meningitis.
Last year, the event raised several thousand dollars and the Thompson's generously donated the funds to help vaccinate every interested Ogden Valley resident. This years event will surely expand their valiant efforts:
Date:
Feb. 23
Event:
Second Annual Brandi Thompson Vertical Challenge
Description:
Are you up to the challenge? Test your stamina in the Brandi Thompson Vertical Challenge. Brandi Thompson was a lift operator at Needles Express and Strawberry Express Gondolas at Snowbasin Resort, who lost her life to Bacterial Meningitis on February 21, 2007. Snowbasin is hosting a “Vertical Challenge” to promote Bacterial Meningitis Awareness in her memory. Help bring awareness to this disease by contacting a local business or individual sponsor to pledge for your vertical feet. Ski on Needles Express Gondola and chalk up the miles! Bring your Pledge Sheet the morning of the event and turn it in when you pick up your Vertical Challenge pass. For more information, please view the flyer in PDF Format.
Time:
9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Race; 4:00 p.m. Awards Ceremony
Where:
Needles Express Gondola and The Main Plaza
Price:
$30 Race Registration Fee (Includes Lift Ticket); $10 Raffle Tickets for Prizes.
Reservations:
Not required. Please call (801) 620-1038 for more information.
Donations may also be sent to the Thompson's.
We will also include articles from today's Standard Examiner and Salt Lake Tribune detailing the efforts of Ogden Valley residents who testified Thursday before the Utah House Political Subdivision Committee. Valley Patriots such as Darla VanZeben, Steve Clarke and Jim Halay did a masterful job of representing "Powderville" residents, although their pleas seemed to fall on deaf ears.
The Weber County Commission Agenda for February 26th has been posted, and while there are some important items, the Powderville incorporation request is curiously missing.
Could it be the County is still reviewing Wolf Creek's request to opt out? Precedents have been set in Wasatch County and we feel Weber County has the latitude to allow the opt out. More recently, Aspen Utah developer Dean Seller's was turned away from the Utah Supreme court.
We are hopelessly optimistic that the developer friendly County Commissioners will have the backbone to stand up to our foes up the steep road at Powder Mountain.
The BOYCOTT of Powder Mountain continues. Be sure to attend the Brandi Thompson Vertical challenge tomorrow at Snowbasin where a lift ticket will cost just $30, including the race registration fee.
UPDATE: 10:00 PM
The Weber County Forum is on a roll this evening with another great post.
It has been a busy week at the forum as the attack on Ogden Valley residents took many paths. We hope to get a reprieve over the weekend and will encourage your support of what we feel is one of the most important charity events of the year.
Cory & Kathy Thompson of Huntsville are hosting the second annual Brandi Thompson Vertical Challenge in honor of their daughter who lost her life one year ago to Bacterial Meningitis.
Last year, the event raised several thousand dollars and the Thompson's generously donated the funds to help vaccinate every interested Ogden Valley resident. This years event will surely expand their valiant efforts:
Date:
Feb. 23
Event:
Second Annual Brandi Thompson Vertical Challenge
Description:
Are you up to the challenge? Test your stamina in the Brandi Thompson Vertical Challenge. Brandi Thompson was a lift operator at Needles Express and Strawberry Express Gondolas at Snowbasin Resort, who lost her life to Bacterial Meningitis on February 21, 2007. Snowbasin is hosting a “Vertical Challenge” to promote Bacterial Meningitis Awareness in her memory. Help bring awareness to this disease by contacting a local business or individual sponsor to pledge for your vertical feet. Ski on Needles Express Gondola and chalk up the miles! Bring your Pledge Sheet the morning of the event and turn it in when you pick up your Vertical Challenge pass. For more information, please view the flyer in PDF Format.
Time:
9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Race; 4:00 p.m. Awards Ceremony
Where:
Needles Express Gondola and The Main Plaza
Price:
$30 Race Registration Fee (Includes Lift Ticket); $10 Raffle Tickets for Prizes.
Reservations:
Not required. Please call (801) 620-1038 for more information.
Donations may also be sent to the Thompson's.
We will also include articles from today's Standard Examiner and Salt Lake Tribune detailing the efforts of Ogden Valley residents who testified Thursday before the Utah House Political Subdivision Committee. Valley Patriots such as Darla VanZeben, Steve Clarke and Jim Halay did a masterful job of representing "Powderville" residents, although their pleas seemed to fall on deaf ears.
The Weber County Commission Agenda for February 26th has been posted, and while there are some important items, the Powderville incorporation request is curiously missing.
Could it be the County is still reviewing Wolf Creek's request to opt out? Precedents have been set in Wasatch County and we feel Weber County has the latitude to allow the opt out. More recently, Aspen Utah developer Dean Seller's was turned away from the Utah Supreme court.
We are hopelessly optimistic that the developer friendly County Commissioners will have the backbone to stand up to our foes up the steep road at Powder Mountain.
The BOYCOTT of Powder Mountain continues. Be sure to attend the Brandi Thompson Vertical challenge tomorrow at Snowbasin where a lift ticket will cost just $30, including the race registration fee.
UPDATE: 10:00 PM
The Weber County Forum is on a roll this evening with another great post.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Powder Mountain Update
As expected, our conflicted and weak-kneed legislators did little to retroactively help future "Powderville" residents in what we believe is a constitutional issue. A legal expert tells us "the consitutional issue is that you cannot change a citizen's jurisdiction and then appoint officials who can tax those citizens because you have taken away their right to vote on leadership and taxes."
The Weber County Forum has posted two excellent articles today, complete with a list of the legislators that need to be replaced - it is time to clean the house, and the list will grow. Interestingly, Melvin Brown was the sponsor of the severely flawed HB 466, and is now the sponsor of HB 164.
Links to the audio of today's legislative hearing are included in the first posting as well as an article from the Salt Lake Tribune. The second posting includes a follow up article from the Salt Lake Tribune.
Minor Machman has also offered his interpretation of today's committee meeting.
The Weber County Forum has posted two excellent articles today, complete with a list of the legislators that need to be replaced - it is time to clean the house, and the list will grow. Interestingly, Melvin Brown was the sponsor of the severely flawed HB 466, and is now the sponsor of HB 164.
Links to the audio of today's legislative hearing are included in the first posting as well as an article from the Salt Lake Tribune. The second posting includes a follow up article from the Salt Lake Tribune.
Minor Machman has also offered his interpretation of today's committee meeting.
From today's Salt Lake Tribune, we read that Developer Dean Sellers and his proposed Aspen, Utah town saw a major setback when he took his case to the Utah Supreme Court. This seems to set a huge precedence for Weber County and the Powder Mountain Incorporation. What say our trusted Weber County Commissioners?
We have added two important links to the "OGDEN VALLEY ISSUES THAT NEED YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION" area of the Forum (top, right hand side of Forum).
We conclude with this morning's Marshall Thompson article from the Standard Examiner. Thompson writes of conversation(s) Powder Mountain CEO Gregg Greer had with employees regarding their comments on the petition to the legislature.
Big Bully Powder Mountain continues to show their true colors time and time again.
We are still in round one of a 15 round bout with the devil, a.k.a. Powder Mountain Developers. Rest assured Valley residents will come out swingin' in round 2.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Meeting at the State Capital Thursday Morning - Powder Mountain Residents Meeting Thursday Evening -- PLEASE BE THERE!
IMPORTANT Blogmeister Note: This is one of three important posts today. Be sure to read all three articles to learn about a meeting Thursday at the State Capital and the "BOYCOTT Powder Mountain" campaign.
From Organizer and Activist Deja Mitchell
- click to email Deja:
We are going to the Capital tomorrow to the committee meeting to voice our need to have the law changed. We are speaking in support of SB25. If this amendment to HB466 gets pushed through before Powder Mountain paperwork has finished being processed (could go through any day now), then we can probably get the PM deal thrown out!
Meet at the coffee shop (Valley Market) at 5:45 am. We'll carpool down there together.
We NEED as many people as possible to show up in support of this amendment. They have to have a strong message that this is urgent and needed. The hearing is:
Thursday Feb 21
@ 8am in Room C450
Tell anyone else you know, like people who live in Salt Lake who can also come and make a visual statement. They can meet us in room C450 at the Capital.
Remember to dress nicely. We want to look very polished and respectful.
LATER Thursday evening, residents of the Proposed Incorporation area are holding an informational meeting. Click here for details..
From Organizer and Activist Deja Mitchell
- click to email Deja:
We are going to the Capital tomorrow to the committee meeting to voice our need to have the law changed. We are speaking in support of SB25. If this amendment to HB466 gets pushed through before Powder Mountain paperwork has finished being processed (could go through any day now), then we can probably get the PM deal thrown out!
Meet at the coffee shop (Valley Market) at 5:45 am. We'll carpool down there together.
We NEED as many people as possible to show up in support of this amendment. They have to have a strong message that this is urgent and needed. The hearing is:
Thursday Feb 21
@ 8am in Room C450
Tell anyone else you know, like people who live in Salt Lake who can also come and make a visual statement. They can meet us in room C450 at the Capital.
Remember to dress nicely. We want to look very polished and respectful.
LATER Thursday evening, residents of the Proposed Incorporation area are holding an informational meeting. Click here for details..
Powder Mountain Petition
Just a word to all of you who signed the Powder Mountain Petition. This petition, with well over 500 signatures will be delivered to our state legislators this week. Your willingness to sign and take a stand to help protect our Valley is a powerful message to our State politicians and all developers. You have let them know in no uncertain terms that the residents of Ogden Valley and Weber County can be a significant political force when basic rights of representation and choice are denied to our neighbors.
I read today that the Powder Mountain spokesperson said that all the affected residents will have a say in their town in two years. Just remember, "Justice delayed is Justice denied!" Powder Mountain will find a way to remain in control of what happens in that town no matter what they say now. They are not going to let 100 free thinking citizens control the direction of their investment on that mountain.
Congratulations to all on the power of this petition,
Larry and Sharon Zini
I read today that the Powder Mountain spokesperson said that all the affected residents will have a say in their town in two years. Just remember, "Justice delayed is Justice denied!" Powder Mountain will find a way to remain in control of what happens in that town no matter what they say now. They are not going to let 100 free thinking citizens control the direction of their investment on that mountain.
Congratulations to all on the power of this petition,
Larry and Sharon Zini
Powder Mountain Protest leads to BOYCOTT of Powder Mountain Ski and Winter Resort
IMPORTANT UPDATES BELOW - Last Updated @ 12:45 PM
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." Margaret Mead
Our hats go off to the dedicated residents of Powderville who once again pounded the pavement on Presidents day with protest signs in hand.
We invite you to listen to KVNU's For the People [2nd hour - fast forward to 32 minutes] as Protest organizer Deja Mitchell did a masterful job of overviewing the Presidents Day event.
Powder Mountain spinmeister and publicity spokeswoman, Lisa Davis, was later interviewed. When asked about the protesters she said, "They may not know their neighbors very well, because the people we have talked to definitely have very strong ideas of what they want done in their back yards..." She went on to say, "They are not 'pawns' of a corporation."
To the contrary, they are nothing but pawns, and the corporation will soon appoint six puppets to govern the people.
Davis seemed to imply that there was a long list of Petitioners for the incorporation, and many not associated with the corporation. That is pure and simple spin - better yet, rubbish, as there were less petitioners for the incorporation than we have fingers and toes.
Turn around and enjoy some 'World class' skiing for just $47.
From Salt Lake, there is a Costco located on the way to Snowbasin in Bountiful. There is also one located in Downtown Salt Lake and Ogden.
To see how effective our campaigns may be, we invite Powder Mountain officials to conduct a simple test. Go to Google and search for "Powder Mountain Protest" or "Powder Mountain Boycott." The results may surprise even their arrogance.
The protest spurred much interest in the media, as KSL Eyewitness News and Fox 13 reported from the site.
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." Margaret MeadOur hats go off to the dedicated residents of Powderville who once again pounded the pavement on Presidents day with protest signs in hand.We invite you to listen to KVNU's For the People [2nd hour - fast forward to 32 minutes] as Protest organizer Deja Mitchell did a masterful job of overviewing the Presidents Day event.
Powder Mountain spinmeister and publicity spokeswoman, Lisa Davis, was later interviewed. When asked about the protesters she said, "They may not know their neighbors very well, because the people we have talked to definitely have very strong ideas of what they want done in their back yards..." She went on to say, "They are not 'pawns' of a corporation."
To the contrary, they are nothing but pawns, and the corporation will soon appoint six puppets to govern the people.
Davis seemed to imply that there was a long list of Petitioners for the incorporation, and many not associated with the corporation. That is pure and simple spin - better yet, rubbish, as there were less petitioners for the incorporation than we have fingers and toes.
At last count, over 500 have signed the petition to change HB 466, the tainted law that allowed this takeover from a greedy, fascist corporation.
In fact, the short list of Powder Mountain Incorporation Petitioners included:
Mark E. Arnold - Owner of Powder Mountain
Lee A. Daniels - Owner and Money man behind Powder Mountain
Steve H. Nielsen II
Edward F. Bates
Rickey T. and Theresa A. Stearman - residents - Mr. Stearman is an employee of Powder Mountain
LaVar R. Lowther
Eric Smith
Dr. Alvin and June H. Cobabe - Founder of Powder Mountain
Aleta Cobabe - Daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Cobabe
Clair and Shawna Van Meeteren - Shawna is also a daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Cobabe
Doug and Jamie Lythgoe - Daughter of Clair and Shawna / Granddaughter of Alvin Cobabe, founder of Powder Mountain. Also a realtor and member of the Weber County Planning commission, the body that conditionally approved Powder Mountain's rezone request in December.
Robert MacCulloch
Wayne C. and Gayla Folkman
Rulon and Kathy Jones - Large land owner of property adjacent to Powder Mountain
David Barlow
Colby Sanders
Powder Mountain, with their polished PR firm and high priced legal team overlooked one large piece of the puzzle - the resolve of Ogden Valley residents and their ability to "come together" for the common good. Valley residents will not sit back idly and watch the puppet show - the last time we did that was during the 2nd grade puppet shows at Valley Elementary.
With that in mind, we will heed the suggestions of many residents and officially kick off a Boycott Powder Mountain campaign. While the results may be hard to quantify, Powder Mountain can rest assured they will be losing business. To add teeth to our Boycott, we will include details of how to Ski World Class Snowbasin for less than the cost of a Powder Mountain lift ticket.
Costco sells Snowbasin tickets for about $47 each, when purchased in a three-pack for a total price of about $139. As the Boycott continues, we may even have Snowbasin tickets available for sale at the protest locations, with the motto:Turn around and enjoy some 'World class' skiing for just $47.
From Salt Lake, there is a Costco located on the way to Snowbasin in Bountiful. There is also one located in Downtown Salt Lake and Ogden.
To see how effective our campaigns may be, we invite Powder Mountain officials to conduct a simple test. Go to Google and search for "Powder Mountain Protest" or "Powder Mountain Boycott." The results may surprise even their arrogance.
The protest spurred much interest in the media, as KSL Eyewitness News and Fox 13 reported from the site.
KUTV 2 news has said they will attend a meeting Thursday that Powder Mountain has claimed they will hold with citizens. To date, we have no information on this supposed meeting and can only assume it will include more of their rhetoric filled attempts to divide and conquer.
The Weber County Forum posted another winner with their run down of the Kimball Wheatley "Manifesto." The Voice of Deseret Blog also chimed in.
We have saved the most incredulously stupid comments for the end, and they were published in Marshal Thompson's Standard Examiner coverage of the Protest. Sadly, by a future Powderville resident and realtor in Gage Froerer's office named Erin Stokes. We will give her the benefit of the doubt as she has obviously been drinking the Powder Mountain kool aid and could use a serious dose of reality. Her comments provide for a laughable and astonishing read:
Erin Stokes, a real estate agent in Eden, said she can’t understand why some of her neighbors are against the in- corporation plan. After looking at both sides,she said, she feels a new town is clearly the best choice. “I listened to all the things my neighbors had to say. I talked to the marketing people for the developers, and they were very helpful,” she said.
“I’m just really excited about it. I don’t see any negatives to it at all, and I’ve studied it a lot.”
She must be using a different text book for those studies than the rest of us. And of course marketing people are helpful - they are trying to sale you something that you do not need!
Currently, Stokes said, she has to drive her kids seven miles to a park in Huntsville, so she is looking forward to having more recreational opportunities closer to home.
Let's see, seven miles down a gradual hill to Huntsville or 5-8 miles up a steep grade to Powder Mountain. She lives next to Wolf Creek, so what other recreational opportunities are the 'white knights' of Powder Mountain promising her?
But Stokes said the protesters have been staging their demonstrations on that very road, and it appears to be safe enough to her.
A flat and wide portion of the road at the base of the mountain was the location of the protest. Does she not know that the road, by Powder Mountain's own admission, has a 13% grade, although reliable sources inside Powder Mountain have said the road is actually as steep as 22%.
To simplify for Powder Mountain's followers, that is 22 feet vertical rise (vertical means upright or up, in even simpler terms) for every 100 feet horizontally (run).
Powder Mountain has certainly found some ardent supporters.
The BOYCOTT begins now!
UPDATE: 8:30 AM
Wolf Creek resort has asked to "Opt Out" of Powder Mountain Town, as reported in today's Standard Examiner.
Also, be sure to attend the State Capital Tomorrow morning:
HB 164 and SB 25 to be heard 2-21-08
8AM
Room C450.
These are the 2 bills dealing with Powder Mt and other incorporation petitions.
Anyone is welcome to attend and voice concerns or support for these bills.
UPDATE @ 12:45 pm
We have our own "ardent supporters" at the Weber County Forum. Rudi and Co. has diligently helped to expose the plight of our future "Powderville" residents. Don't miss today's classic missive. Thanks Rudi!
Sunday, February 17, 2008
An important Letter to Residents of Powderville and a warning to Potential Powder Mountain Investors
Fellow Valley residents and friends, The Ogden Valley Forum is just shy of two years old, but this is probably the most important post ever to appear on this forum. Certainly the greedy Powder Mountain Incorporation scheme is the most important issue to ever face Ogden Valley residents.
With that in mind, disseminate this post freely to everyone while encouraging them to join in the President's Day morning Power Mountain Rally. Also encourage them to sign the Petition.
Happy President's Day!
Here is Mr. Wheatley's incredible post:
By Kimball L. Wheatley, Citizen of Ogden Valley and the United States of America
Dear citizens of Powderville,
I see you have begun calling your town Powderville, a place with a puppet government explicitly designed to bypass the laws, rules and regulations all of the rest of us have agreed to live by. In this incredible conflict-of-interest circus, the Powderville town council is appointed by a few men who stand to make hundreds of millions if the town laws are just right, who dole out the town budget in the form of a loan, and who have their lawyers write all the laws. Only after the new laws are in place and the town is approaching bankruptcy do the residents of Powderville get to vote. In respect for the sentiments of valley residents forced into Powderville, I will refer to these few men as the perpetrators, or ‘PERPS’ for short, rather than one of the more unseemly names I have heard them called.
I have sensed that many of you are getting discouraged and feeling helpless at the hands of the PERPS and my purpose here is to rally the troops. In fact, we are only in round one of this fight and things are not nearly as hopeless as they may seem. We clearly own the moral high ground and valley residents are uniting…these are good assets to have.
The PERPS got real greedy when they decided they could make a couple hundred million dollars more on their Powder Mountain deal if they could sell two or three times the number of homes, condos and hotels allowed on the property they just bought. Never mind that the allowed density was based on decades of solid reasoning and zoning rules to balance development against what our roads, water and pollution circumstances can support. Never mind that ten years earlier the residents of Ogden Valley gave up their own development rights (via down zoning) to stay within the carrying capacity of the Valley. When UDOT, DWR, the Ogden Valley Planning Commission and loads of valley residents expressed serious reservations about the impact of such a massive increase in density, the PERPS found a loophole they think will allow them to get their excessive density by forming Powderville and ignoring the planning issues of Ogden Valley.
We now know thatHB466 was flawed enough for the Utah Senate and House to change it, allowing residents in future new Utah towns to vote. But, given that some important people in the Utah State Legislature and the Utah League of Cities and Towns are on the payroll of one or more of the PERPS, we have to assume they will let Powderville slide through. Our own representative Gage Froerer is pursuing retroactive application to Powderville in his house bill; good luck Gage, but the law firm owned by the speaker of the house is on the payroll.
However, there is at least one big issue left that the PERPS have to deal with to finish squeezing through the loophole. Wolf Creek Resort has filed a petition to withdraw 160 acres of their resort that the PERPS included in Powderville. If the county commissioners grant the withdrawal, the boundaries will have to be redrawn and they may not reach the 50% valuation criterion of HB466; a citizen watchdog group is monitoring the situation. Even so, we have to assume the PERPS will figure out a way to bypass more rules and Powderville will become reality.
It may appear that all is lost, but residents of Powderville should take heart. All we know for sure is the PERPS are some particularly bad actors, driven solely by greed, who could care less about your rights and your votes, let alone your opinion. They used a mistake in the law to run over your way of life and your beliefs about democracy, asserting they have every legal right to do so. They sent letters and PR people to tell you about Powderville, describing in excruciating detail how your opinion simply does not count. But I think they have overreached. Despite the loophole HB466 put into the law allowing the PERPS to do this to you, they are not able to completely abridge your rights as citizens of Powderville, Weber County, the State of Utah, and the United States of America.
The PERPS have also underestimated the power of the rest of the residents of Ogden Valley. They seem to think we will just sit back and accept a development the size of Brigham City on Powder Mountain just because they found a legal loophole allowing them to do it. The Huntsville Town Council was the first elected body to stand up to the PERPS and say NO. Why did Huntsville say no? Because their oversize resort will exceed the capacity of both Ogden Canyon and the intersection at Pineview dam, where “frequent traffic disruptions will be experienced” (UDOT jargon). So the backed up traffic has to take the county road around the east side of the reservoir, through Huntsville, to get to Trappers Loop. Huntsville residents were simply shocked to see plans for two stop lights in their town to handle Powderville traffic. Then they started thinking about inversions and pollution from 10,000 SUV trips a day.
And we can be heartened by citizens hitting the streets over President’s Day weekend to carry signs of protest, making sure the PERPS’ customers know what is happening. I am hearing some pretty interesting ideas from these folks about how to get the PERPS to listen to reason. One is a full-blown BOYCOTT POWDER MOUNTAIN movement, certain to shine the spotlight of regional, if not national attention, on the shameless activities of the PERPS.
As the residents of Powderville stand up to the PERPS, as you surely will, you will not be standing alone. The rest of the valley is in this with you and we have resources and skills to help. In that spirit, here are some thoughts on what you (and we) can do.
To form the government of Powderville, the PERPS will have to find six adult permanent residents of the town willing to become their puppets. This may be harder than they think since they will be directing their appointees to ignore the advice of UDOT and the Ogden Valley Planning Commission and increase density to a level certain to kill lots of people. An incorporated town provides certain protections for officials, but malfeasance in office, conflict of interest, and corruption/ collusion are not among them. Which six of you want to be left hanging with the liabilities associated with pushing Powder Mountain Road beyond capacity just so the PERPS can make a lot of money? Which six of you will join the ranks of the PERPS and defend their immoral methods to your neighbors and used-to-be friends? Which six of you want to be in the line of fire and ultimately take on the blame for any bad consequences of a resort 2-3 times the size it should be? However, for the moment let’s assume the PERPS can find six of you willing to assume their liabilities and do their bidding.
Assuming Powderville comes into existence with its puppet government, you residents still have lots of power and it will be a long time before the resort will have enough permanent residents to outvote you, maybe never. Various people are still studying your rights as residents, but it appears you have some powerful options worth considering.
You can dissolve the town and revert to unincorporated Weber County; this sounds good, but has some faults. First, the PERPS will hold the town hostage by putting strings on the start up money to insure they get the excessive density approved. Then they will claim any attempt to take away the density the town gave them is taking away their rights. So dissolution may not work.
The more likely scenario is the town will be established, the PERPS will appoint the town council, their lawyers will write the zoning laws to give them the excessive density, and they will ask the town council for approval. The PERPS will attempt to make it look like their town council acts independently and in the best interests of its residents. They have to do this to move liabilities resulting from excessive density from them to the town council and town residents (“all those dead people are not our fault; the town council approved our plan after studying the issues; if anyone is at fault it is the town council who were acting independently and in the best interests of town residents when they approved our plan”). Fortunately, I have been told Utah law gives town residents a safeguard against the creation of bad laws; apparently you can use a referendum process to reverse law you find unacceptable.
So, here are some ideas to stop the PERPS from taking away our right to vote and destroying Ogden Valley with their excessive density.
1. Take the moral high ground. Residents of Powderville should ignore HB466, duly elect six people under the terms of the revised law, and submit their names to the county commission for the first town council as an all-or-none deal; let’s name it something like the elected, or legitimate, or true council. This puts the PERPS in a position of having to defend their choices over the will of the people, exposing the puppet government created under the loophole law for what it is. The PERPS will attempt a divide-and-conquer approach by offering to accept some of the elected people, but don’t fall for it…keep it all-or-none.
Meanwhile, make sure any of your neighbors who may be considering a PERP appointment to the council, understand the consequences of joining up with them; personal liability, appearance of corruption, and used-to-be friends come to mind.
Assuming the elected town council will be unacceptable to the PERPS, and assuming they can find six willing puppets, the official Powderville Town Council (the puppets) will come into existence and begin to rule on the zoning laws submitted by the PERPS. As each of these laws is proposed, the elected town council can evaluate them, accept public input, and decide whether it is a good law or a bad law. If it is good law, they can bless it. If it is a bad law, they can start the referendum process to reverse it. For example, the puppet council may rule that increasing density to the level their masters want is ok, even if it kills a few more people. The elected town council may say the toll is too high and rule the PERPS should stick to the density they had when they bought the property. Then, to put teeth into their ruling, they launch the referendum process to reverse the bad law. The elected council can’t make any new laws, but they can certainly stop bad ones until they get to take over as the official town council.
This appears to mean you can challenge and reverse every bad or self-serving law the PERPS try to force on you. At the very least this will drive off the investors we don’t want, those interested only in a PERP-controlled town with an unfettered path to excessive density.
Another thing the elected council should do soon is to name the town to your liking. The PERPS think it should be called Powder Mountain because they think it will make marketing their resort easier. They think names like Eden and Liberty are quaint, even embarrassing when they talk to the sophisticated investors and buyers they envision. But sooner or later you residents get to vote and you can vote to name the town anything you want, however embarrassing to the PERPS. So let’s not let “Powder Mountain” take hold as the name of your town, instead referring to it as the sham “Powderville” until an elected town council is in place and decides on a name the residents want.
2. Look to the future of the town. In no more than two years you residents will be allowed to vote to replace the puppet government and change the town’s laws and ordinances to your liking. Your first matter of business will be to keep the town afloat since the feasibility study commissioned by the PERPS is based on a two year loan (from them) and an unrealistic rate of subdivision development and property sales to fund the town. So you will begin with a financially bankrupt town that you can easily dissolve and return to the county, which is just what the PERPS intend…they make their millions and the problems revert to county and the rest of us.
But you can decide to continue the town and use your rights and obligations as a town to find the money you need to run it as well as the money needed to improve the lives of its voting residents. Utah law gives a town a fair amount of authority, including taxes, liquor rules, building codes, impact fees and annexation. You will be in an excellent position to get back some portion of the hundreds of millions that made the PERPS rich at your expense. For example, the very idea of a dry resort or blue laws or annexation will bring them to the negotiating table. The PERPS will no doubt call this over regulation and unfair taxing, even extortion. But the voting residents of any town pretty much get to make up the rules and are obligated to make decisions in the best interests of their voting constituencies.
3. Bankrupt the PERPS. It is sad to say, but the excessive density the PERPS want is driven purely by greed and risk to their money is the only thing that will cause them to listen to reason. The good news is they are motivated by greed, not all that bright, in shaky financial circumstances and actively looking for a buyer for the resort before the whole house of cards come down. Daniels (the main money guy) thought he would get his money out by now and is getting concerned. The PERPS are fighting among themselves about who knows what. Some may even be questioning the wisdom of their loophole assault on valley residents and governing bodies.
Importantly, the PERPS never had any intention of developing Powder Mountain Resort per their excessive plan; in fact, they have neither the capital nor the know-how to go about it. Instead, they are known in the industry as “flippers”, people who buy property in leveraged deals with an angle getting zoning concessions (density) and/or breaking it up into small pieces for sale. Now they are including a new angle: they own a town that will grant all the density and corner cutting they want.
But anyone thinking about spending the hundreds of millions the PERPS want will go through an elaborate due-diligence process to ferret out any risks to their investment. Their last buyer bailed out on them after taking a close look at their master plan. We need to find every single spark of risk and make sure the buyers are aware. If enough risks stack up, no credible investor or creditor will touch it. So let’s get started listing the risks:
• This letter is a beginning. We will make sure it comes up high on any web search regarding Powder Mountain, Powder Mountain town, Powderville, Ogden Valley, etc. Of course the search will also bring up pictures of residents in protest.
• These days the biggest and best companies talk a lot about corporate social responsibility and most have made a public commitment to do what is Right, not just what they can legally get away with. They are the bankers, the auditors and worlds leading companies. Unfortunately, the best won’t touch the Powderville deal because it is founded in corruption and the PERPS stirred up a hornets nest among the locals. But we can easily paint the PERPS as a good example of corporate irresponsibility. We have good material here for the kind of case study business schools use to teach important concepts. We can write up and disseminate the case in installments…the last chapters yet to be written.
• We will bring regional, if not national attention, to the quickly-corrected loophole law and the corrupt puppet government.
• We will place a few hundred signs between Mountain Green and Powder Mountain, making sure investors and customers are aware of our concerns, and ask them to avoid complicity by boycotting Powder Mountain until the PERPS listen to reason.
• We will make sure the investors understand who the sixty or so residents are who will be making decisions about their taxes, building codes, zoning, liquor, and how frequently their streets get plowed.
• We will make it clear that we will do everything possible to make sure any and all liabilities associated with the people who are injured or die on Powderville roads will land squarely in their lap. For example, two-to-three times the density means at least two-to-three the accidents. Based on the PERPS own traffic analysis, the excessive density will result in a lot of dead and injured people (based on the last six years, we can expect 40 dead people every six years from brake failure alone). UDOT and the Ogden Valley Planning Commission have weighed in on the risks of exceeding the capacity of the roads when there are limited options for improving safety (especially in Ogden Canyon, at Pineview dam and on Powder Mountain road), so it should be relatively easy to put the death and injury liability on the PERPS or its puppet town council where it belongs.
• We will help them to understand that even during the era of puppet-government rule, the valley will be fighting them every step of the way, through every means possible. The PERPS need to understand that this is a moral issue for many and acts of civil disobedience will be among the viable options. Just last night someone talked about clogging Powder Mountain road on President’s day, a rather easy thing to do if someone gets a little crazy.
• We will help them to understand that we can recruit allies to our fight. The two golf courses in the resort are located at the headwaters of Geertsen Creek which contains a rare and genetically pure sensitive species protected by a conservation agreement; 500 inches of snow, golf course fertilizer, and a developer with a puppet government in charge of regulations is a death warrant for our population of purebred bonneville cutthroat trout. These golf courses and housing around them are in the calving grounds of one of Utah’s largest elk herds and their activities will most certainly affect the herd. It should be easy to recruit the likes of DWR, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Sierra Club and Save Our Canyon, to help us paint Powder Mountain Resort as a text-book example of corruption and greed running amuck over the environment.
• We will help them understand that the resort and town probably does not have enough water to satisfy its ambitions (only 1400 acre feet of water for 36 holes of golf at 9,000 ft with daily 30 mph dry winds and a town the size of Brigham City). We will help Ogden City understand the PERPS have eyes on the Ogden’s aquifers.
• We will help them understand that virtually everyone who knows anything about skiing in the Powder Mountain area thinks the master plan the PERPS have drawn up is impossible. NO ONE seriously thinks it can actually be built or that it would be viable if it was. It may be a large area, but it is simply not a world-class ski or boarding mountain. It lacks vertical and has few concentration points for placing efficient lifts. The investors need to ask Powder Mountain skiers if they would continue to ski there if there are 8,500 skiers and 18 lifts on the mountain (so far, I haven’t found any).
• We will help them understand Powder Mountain Resort IS viable as a smaller resort, sized within the constraints of current zoning laws. The PERPS have argued they must have 4,000 beds to get the skiers they need, but don’t count or even consider the 4,000+ being built just a few miles down the road. A half dozen acquaintances of mine, who know the ski and resort business, think Powder Mountain could be a gold mine if done right.
• We will make sure they know what a brush fire would mean and that it is only a matter of time before the area burns, as it has many times before. Part of the resort is in Cache county, with no access for any help from Cache. The rest is in Powder Mountain town, which lacks the wherewithal to battle a major brush fire among 5000 dwellings, where 30 mph dry winds are a summer daily occurrence. Any problems on Powder Mountain road means no evacuation options.
• We will help them understand why school buses are not allowed to go up and down Powder Canyon road.
• We will make sure they understand the burdens the town will be taking on. For example, it will have to devise its own plan for affordable housing within its boundaries and the people at the bottom of the hill (the voters) will get to decide where it goes.
Fellow citizens, take heart and let’s stand up to these PERPS. We lost a battle in the Senate, but we have just begun to fight.
Your friend, neighbor and ally,
Kimbal L. Wheatley, Citizen of Ogden Valley and the United States of America
With that in mind, disseminate this post freely to everyone while encouraging them to join in the President's Day morning Power Mountain Rally. Also encourage them to sign the Petition.
Happy President's Day!
Here is Mr. Wheatley's incredible post:
By Kimball L. Wheatley, Citizen of Ogden Valley and the United States of America
Dear citizens of Powderville,
I see you have begun calling your town Powderville, a place with a puppet government explicitly designed to bypass the laws, rules and regulations all of the rest of us have agreed to live by. In this incredible conflict-of-interest circus, the Powderville town council is appointed by a few men who stand to make hundreds of millions if the town laws are just right, who dole out the town budget in the form of a loan, and who have their lawyers write all the laws. Only after the new laws are in place and the town is approaching bankruptcy do the residents of Powderville get to vote. In respect for the sentiments of valley residents forced into Powderville, I will refer to these few men as the perpetrators, or ‘PERPS’ for short, rather than one of the more unseemly names I have heard them called.
I have sensed that many of you are getting discouraged and feeling helpless at the hands of the PERPS and my purpose here is to rally the troops. In fact, we are only in round one of this fight and things are not nearly as hopeless as they may seem. We clearly own the moral high ground and valley residents are uniting…these are good assets to have.
The PERPS got real greedy when they decided they could make a couple hundred million dollars more on their Powder Mountain deal if they could sell two or three times the number of homes, condos and hotels allowed on the property they just bought. Never mind that the allowed density was based on decades of solid reasoning and zoning rules to balance development against what our roads, water and pollution circumstances can support. Never mind that ten years earlier the residents of Ogden Valley gave up their own development rights (via down zoning) to stay within the carrying capacity of the Valley. When UDOT, DWR, the Ogden Valley Planning Commission and loads of valley residents expressed serious reservations about the impact of such a massive increase in density, the PERPS found a loophole they think will allow them to get their excessive density by forming Powderville and ignoring the planning issues of Ogden Valley.
We now know thatHB466 was flawed enough for the Utah Senate and House to change it, allowing residents in future new Utah towns to vote. But, given that some important people in the Utah State Legislature and the Utah League of Cities and Towns are on the payroll of one or more of the PERPS, we have to assume they will let Powderville slide through. Our own representative Gage Froerer is pursuing retroactive application to Powderville in his house bill; good luck Gage, but the law firm owned by the speaker of the house is on the payroll.
However, there is at least one big issue left that the PERPS have to deal with to finish squeezing through the loophole. Wolf Creek Resort has filed a petition to withdraw 160 acres of their resort that the PERPS included in Powderville. If the county commissioners grant the withdrawal, the boundaries will have to be redrawn and they may not reach the 50% valuation criterion of HB466; a citizen watchdog group is monitoring the situation. Even so, we have to assume the PERPS will figure out a way to bypass more rules and Powderville will become reality.
It may appear that all is lost, but residents of Powderville should take heart. All we know for sure is the PERPS are some particularly bad actors, driven solely by greed, who could care less about your rights and your votes, let alone your opinion. They used a mistake in the law to run over your way of life and your beliefs about democracy, asserting they have every legal right to do so. They sent letters and PR people to tell you about Powderville, describing in excruciating detail how your opinion simply does not count. But I think they have overreached. Despite the loophole HB466 put into the law allowing the PERPS to do this to you, they are not able to completely abridge your rights as citizens of Powderville, Weber County, the State of Utah, and the United States of America.
The PERPS have also underestimated the power of the rest of the residents of Ogden Valley. They seem to think we will just sit back and accept a development the size of Brigham City on Powder Mountain just because they found a legal loophole allowing them to do it. The Huntsville Town Council was the first elected body to stand up to the PERPS and say NO. Why did Huntsville say no? Because their oversize resort will exceed the capacity of both Ogden Canyon and the intersection at Pineview dam, where “frequent traffic disruptions will be experienced” (UDOT jargon). So the backed up traffic has to take the county road around the east side of the reservoir, through Huntsville, to get to Trappers Loop. Huntsville residents were simply shocked to see plans for two stop lights in their town to handle Powderville traffic. Then they started thinking about inversions and pollution from 10,000 SUV trips a day.
And we can be heartened by citizens hitting the streets over President’s Day weekend to carry signs of protest, making sure the PERPS’ customers know what is happening. I am hearing some pretty interesting ideas from these folks about how to get the PERPS to listen to reason. One is a full-blown BOYCOTT POWDER MOUNTAIN movement, certain to shine the spotlight of regional, if not national attention, on the shameless activities of the PERPS.
As the residents of Powderville stand up to the PERPS, as you surely will, you will not be standing alone. The rest of the valley is in this with you and we have resources and skills to help. In that spirit, here are some thoughts on what you (and we) can do.
To form the government of Powderville, the PERPS will have to find six adult permanent residents of the town willing to become their puppets. This may be harder than they think since they will be directing their appointees to ignore the advice of UDOT and the Ogden Valley Planning Commission and increase density to a level certain to kill lots of people. An incorporated town provides certain protections for officials, but malfeasance in office, conflict of interest, and corruption/ collusion are not among them. Which six of you want to be left hanging with the liabilities associated with pushing Powder Mountain Road beyond capacity just so the PERPS can make a lot of money? Which six of you will join the ranks of the PERPS and defend their immoral methods to your neighbors and used-to-be friends? Which six of you want to be in the line of fire and ultimately take on the blame for any bad consequences of a resort 2-3 times the size it should be? However, for the moment let’s assume the PERPS can find six of you willing to assume their liabilities and do their bidding.
Assuming Powderville comes into existence with its puppet government, you residents still have lots of power and it will be a long time before the resort will have enough permanent residents to outvote you, maybe never. Various people are still studying your rights as residents, but it appears you have some powerful options worth considering.
You can dissolve the town and revert to unincorporated Weber County; this sounds good, but has some faults. First, the PERPS will hold the town hostage by putting strings on the start up money to insure they get the excessive density approved. Then they will claim any attempt to take away the density the town gave them is taking away their rights. So dissolution may not work.
The more likely scenario is the town will be established, the PERPS will appoint the town council, their lawyers will write the zoning laws to give them the excessive density, and they will ask the town council for approval. The PERPS will attempt to make it look like their town council acts independently and in the best interests of its residents. They have to do this to move liabilities resulting from excessive density from them to the town council and town residents (“all those dead people are not our fault; the town council approved our plan after studying the issues; if anyone is at fault it is the town council who were acting independently and in the best interests of town residents when they approved our plan”). Fortunately, I have been told Utah law gives town residents a safeguard against the creation of bad laws; apparently you can use a referendum process to reverse law you find unacceptable.
So, here are some ideas to stop the PERPS from taking away our right to vote and destroying Ogden Valley with their excessive density.
1. Take the moral high ground. Residents of Powderville should ignore HB466, duly elect six people under the terms of the revised law, and submit their names to the county commission for the first town council as an all-or-none deal; let’s name it something like the elected, or legitimate, or true council. This puts the PERPS in a position of having to defend their choices over the will of the people, exposing the puppet government created under the loophole law for what it is. The PERPS will attempt a divide-and-conquer approach by offering to accept some of the elected people, but don’t fall for it…keep it all-or-none.
Meanwhile, make sure any of your neighbors who may be considering a PERP appointment to the council, understand the consequences of joining up with them; personal liability, appearance of corruption, and used-to-be friends come to mind.
Assuming the elected town council will be unacceptable to the PERPS, and assuming they can find six willing puppets, the official Powderville Town Council (the puppets) will come into existence and begin to rule on the zoning laws submitted by the PERPS. As each of these laws is proposed, the elected town council can evaluate them, accept public input, and decide whether it is a good law or a bad law. If it is good law, they can bless it. If it is a bad law, they can start the referendum process to reverse it. For example, the puppet council may rule that increasing density to the level their masters want is ok, even if it kills a few more people. The elected town council may say the toll is too high and rule the PERPS should stick to the density they had when they bought the property. Then, to put teeth into their ruling, they launch the referendum process to reverse the bad law. The elected council can’t make any new laws, but they can certainly stop bad ones until they get to take over as the official town council.
This appears to mean you can challenge and reverse every bad or self-serving law the PERPS try to force on you. At the very least this will drive off the investors we don’t want, those interested only in a PERP-controlled town with an unfettered path to excessive density.
Another thing the elected council should do soon is to name the town to your liking. The PERPS think it should be called Powder Mountain because they think it will make marketing their resort easier. They think names like Eden and Liberty are quaint, even embarrassing when they talk to the sophisticated investors and buyers they envision. But sooner or later you residents get to vote and you can vote to name the town anything you want, however embarrassing to the PERPS. So let’s not let “Powder Mountain” take hold as the name of your town, instead referring to it as the sham “Powderville” until an elected town council is in place and decides on a name the residents want.
2. Look to the future of the town. In no more than two years you residents will be allowed to vote to replace the puppet government and change the town’s laws and ordinances to your liking. Your first matter of business will be to keep the town afloat since the feasibility study commissioned by the PERPS is based on a two year loan (from them) and an unrealistic rate of subdivision development and property sales to fund the town. So you will begin with a financially bankrupt town that you can easily dissolve and return to the county, which is just what the PERPS intend…they make their millions and the problems revert to county and the rest of us.
But you can decide to continue the town and use your rights and obligations as a town to find the money you need to run it as well as the money needed to improve the lives of its voting residents. Utah law gives a town a fair amount of authority, including taxes, liquor rules, building codes, impact fees and annexation. You will be in an excellent position to get back some portion of the hundreds of millions that made the PERPS rich at your expense. For example, the very idea of a dry resort or blue laws or annexation will bring them to the negotiating table. The PERPS will no doubt call this over regulation and unfair taxing, even extortion. But the voting residents of any town pretty much get to make up the rules and are obligated to make decisions in the best interests of their voting constituencies.
3. Bankrupt the PERPS. It is sad to say, but the excessive density the PERPS want is driven purely by greed and risk to their money is the only thing that will cause them to listen to reason. The good news is they are motivated by greed, not all that bright, in shaky financial circumstances and actively looking for a buyer for the resort before the whole house of cards come down. Daniels (the main money guy) thought he would get his money out by now and is getting concerned. The PERPS are fighting among themselves about who knows what. Some may even be questioning the wisdom of their loophole assault on valley residents and governing bodies.
Importantly, the PERPS never had any intention of developing Powder Mountain Resort per their excessive plan; in fact, they have neither the capital nor the know-how to go about it. Instead, they are known in the industry as “flippers”, people who buy property in leveraged deals with an angle getting zoning concessions (density) and/or breaking it up into small pieces for sale. Now they are including a new angle: they own a town that will grant all the density and corner cutting they want.
But anyone thinking about spending the hundreds of millions the PERPS want will go through an elaborate due-diligence process to ferret out any risks to their investment. Their last buyer bailed out on them after taking a close look at their master plan. We need to find every single spark of risk and make sure the buyers are aware. If enough risks stack up, no credible investor or creditor will touch it. So let’s get started listing the risks:
• This letter is a beginning. We will make sure it comes up high on any web search regarding Powder Mountain, Powder Mountain town, Powderville, Ogden Valley, etc. Of course the search will also bring up pictures of residents in protest.
• These days the biggest and best companies talk a lot about corporate social responsibility and most have made a public commitment to do what is Right, not just what they can legally get away with. They are the bankers, the auditors and worlds leading companies. Unfortunately, the best won’t touch the Powderville deal because it is founded in corruption and the PERPS stirred up a hornets nest among the locals. But we can easily paint the PERPS as a good example of corporate irresponsibility. We have good material here for the kind of case study business schools use to teach important concepts. We can write up and disseminate the case in installments…the last chapters yet to be written.
• We will bring regional, if not national attention, to the quickly-corrected loophole law and the corrupt puppet government.
• We will place a few hundred signs between Mountain Green and Powder Mountain, making sure investors and customers are aware of our concerns, and ask them to avoid complicity by boycotting Powder Mountain until the PERPS listen to reason.
• We will make sure the investors understand who the sixty or so residents are who will be making decisions about their taxes, building codes, zoning, liquor, and how frequently their streets get plowed.
• We will make it clear that we will do everything possible to make sure any and all liabilities associated with the people who are injured or die on Powderville roads will land squarely in their lap. For example, two-to-three times the density means at least two-to-three the accidents. Based on the PERPS own traffic analysis, the excessive density will result in a lot of dead and injured people (based on the last six years, we can expect 40 dead people every six years from brake failure alone). UDOT and the Ogden Valley Planning Commission have weighed in on the risks of exceeding the capacity of the roads when there are limited options for improving safety (especially in Ogden Canyon, at Pineview dam and on Powder Mountain road), so it should be relatively easy to put the death and injury liability on the PERPS or its puppet town council where it belongs.
• We will help them to understand that even during the era of puppet-government rule, the valley will be fighting them every step of the way, through every means possible. The PERPS need to understand that this is a moral issue for many and acts of civil disobedience will be among the viable options. Just last night someone talked about clogging Powder Mountain road on President’s day, a rather easy thing to do if someone gets a little crazy.
• We will help them to understand that we can recruit allies to our fight. The two golf courses in the resort are located at the headwaters of Geertsen Creek which contains a rare and genetically pure sensitive species protected by a conservation agreement; 500 inches of snow, golf course fertilizer, and a developer with a puppet government in charge of regulations is a death warrant for our population of purebred bonneville cutthroat trout. These golf courses and housing around them are in the calving grounds of one of Utah’s largest elk herds and their activities will most certainly affect the herd. It should be easy to recruit the likes of DWR, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Sierra Club and Save Our Canyon, to help us paint Powder Mountain Resort as a text-book example of corruption and greed running amuck over the environment.
• We will help them understand that the resort and town probably does not have enough water to satisfy its ambitions (only 1400 acre feet of water for 36 holes of golf at 9,000 ft with daily 30 mph dry winds and a town the size of Brigham City). We will help Ogden City understand the PERPS have eyes on the Ogden’s aquifers.
• We will help them understand that virtually everyone who knows anything about skiing in the Powder Mountain area thinks the master plan the PERPS have drawn up is impossible. NO ONE seriously thinks it can actually be built or that it would be viable if it was. It may be a large area, but it is simply not a world-class ski or boarding mountain. It lacks vertical and has few concentration points for placing efficient lifts. The investors need to ask Powder Mountain skiers if they would continue to ski there if there are 8,500 skiers and 18 lifts on the mountain (so far, I haven’t found any).
• We will help them understand Powder Mountain Resort IS viable as a smaller resort, sized within the constraints of current zoning laws. The PERPS have argued they must have 4,000 beds to get the skiers they need, but don’t count or even consider the 4,000+ being built just a few miles down the road. A half dozen acquaintances of mine, who know the ski and resort business, think Powder Mountain could be a gold mine if done right.
• We will make sure they know what a brush fire would mean and that it is only a matter of time before the area burns, as it has many times before. Part of the resort is in Cache county, with no access for any help from Cache. The rest is in Powder Mountain town, which lacks the wherewithal to battle a major brush fire among 5000 dwellings, where 30 mph dry winds are a summer daily occurrence. Any problems on Powder Mountain road means no evacuation options.
• We will help them understand why school buses are not allowed to go up and down Powder Canyon road.
• We will make sure they understand the burdens the town will be taking on. For example, it will have to devise its own plan for affordable housing within its boundaries and the people at the bottom of the hill (the voters) will get to decide where it goes.
Fellow citizens, take heart and let’s stand up to these PERPS. We lost a battle in the Senate, but we have just begun to fight.
Your friend, neighbor and ally,
Kimbal L. Wheatley, Citizen of Ogden Valley and the United States of America
Powder Mountain Rally Monday and News Update
UPDATES BELOW
Saturday's Powder Mountain Protest made it to the Top of Utah front page of the Standard this morning, and even more news coverage is scheduled for Monday's rally. Don't miss the photo's of our Powderville Heros tirelessly "working" the picket lines.
Be there or be square Monday with signs in hand to show your support for residents who are being forced into "Powderville" with no vote and no representation.
Monday, February 18th
8:30AM until 10.00AM
just north of Wolf Creek and below Juniper Ln.
While we are at it, we will offer a reminder to encourage EVERYONE to sign the Petition to Utah Legislators urging their support of legislation to repair the ludicrous HB 466 that allows a developer to force their neighbors into a town. The petition will be delivered Monday so there is still time to call and email friends to encourage them to sign.
Here is a sample email to send to your contacts.
Also, be sure to get your spouse to sign. Numbers speak volumes!
One of our humble readers so eloquently pointed out the issue of Fascism when they commented:
"The first stage of fascism should more appropriately be called Corporatism because it is a merger of State and corporate power"
--Benito Mussolini (1883-1945), Fascist Dictator of Italy
FASCISM a political system in which all power of government is vested in a person or group with no other power to balance and limit the activities of the government. Fascist governments are often closely associated with large corporations and sometimes with extreme nationalism and racist activities. Modern fascism is often called "CORPORATISM".
We will conclude with the 14 traits of Fascism, as written by Political scientist Dr. Lawrence Britt
("Fascism Anyone?," Free Inquiry, Spring 2003, page 20). Studying the fascist regimes of Hitler (Germany), Mussolini (Italy), Franco (Spain), Suharto (Indonesia), and Pinochet (Chile), Dr. Britt found they all had 14 elements in common. He calls these the identifying characteristics of fascism.
Pay close attention to number 9:
Thanks to the Weber County Forum for supporting our cause - be sure to read their latest.
Saturday's Powder Mountain Protest made it to the Top of Utah front page of the Standard this morning, and even more news coverage is scheduled for Monday's rally. Don't miss the photo's of our Powderville Heros tirelessly "working" the picket lines.
Be there or be square Monday with signs in hand to show your support for residents who are being forced into "Powderville" with no vote and no representation.
Monday, February 18th
8:30AM until 10.00AM
just north of Wolf Creek and below Juniper Ln.
While we are at it, we will offer a reminder to encourage EVERYONE to sign the Petition to Utah Legislators urging their support of legislation to repair the ludicrous HB 466 that allows a developer to force their neighbors into a town. The petition will be delivered Monday so there is still time to call and email friends to encourage them to sign.
Here is a sample email to send to your contacts.
Also, be sure to get your spouse to sign. Numbers speak volumes!
One of our humble readers so eloquently pointed out the issue of Fascism when they commented:
What's that called when the corporation and the government are the same thing? Oh, yeah, FASCISM!
So if the corporate interests that are trying to incorporate Powderville are the ones who are also naming all the officials of Powderville, and will insist that the nominees do their bidding, that would make them FASCISTS, wouldn't it?
That would make an interesting sign for the protest, too.
They went on to say:
The last time we saw a power grab like this with no input from the people was
when the Nazis took over Austria, Czechoslovakia and Poland.The con artists at Powder Mountain will tell you this is for the greater good, sound familiar?
It's for their greater good. Hang on to your hats!
"The first stage of fascism should more appropriately be called Corporatism because it is a merger of State and corporate power"
--Benito Mussolini (1883-1945), Fascist Dictator of Italy
FASCISM a political system in which all power of government is vested in a person or group with no other power to balance and limit the activities of the government. Fascist governments are often closely associated with large corporations and sometimes with extreme nationalism and racist activities. Modern fascism is often called "CORPORATISM".
We will conclude with the 14 traits of Fascism, as written by Political scientist Dr. Lawrence Britt
("Fascism Anyone?," Free Inquiry, Spring 2003, page 20). Studying the fascist regimes of Hitler (Germany), Mussolini (Italy), Franco (Spain), Suharto (Indonesia), and Pinochet (Chile), Dr. Britt found they all had 14 elements in common. He calls these the identifying characteristics of fascism.
Pay close attention to number 9:
Corporate Power is Protected
The industrial and business aristocracy of a fascist nation often are the ones who put the government leaders into power, creating a mutually beneficial business /government relationship and power elite.
And number 13:
UPDATE @6:45 PMRampant Cronyism and Corruption
Fascist regimes almost always are governed by groups of friends and associates who appoint each other to government positions and use governmental power and authority to protect their friends from accountability. It is not uncommon in fascist regimes for national resources and even treasures to be appropriated or even outright stolen by government leaders.
Thanks to the Weber County Forum for supporting our cause - be sure to read their latest.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Powder Mountain Protest
UPDATES BELOW
Valley residents, we had a good turn out this morning for our protest along Hwy 158. Given the weather and short notice, the energy of the people was obvious. There will be a second protest on Monday the 18th at the same time, 8:30AM until 10.00AM just north of Wolf Creek and below Juniper Ln. Bring your signs of protest. There will be a lot of traffic and the more people that know and understand this heavy handed incorporation move, the better.
If you don't know, the protest is about the incorporation of of Powder Mountain into a township and dragging many residents of the Eden area kicking and screaming into the town without any say if they want to be
part of the town. This is money, greed, and power at work with zero regard to anyone's personal or civil rights.
Show up on Monday and we will have press coverage and photos from all the newspapers as well as a possible TV spot. We need to get these people from Powder Mountain in the spotlight and have them explain why they are forcing some Eden residents into this incorporation.
Larry and Sharon Zini
If you don't know, the protest is about the incorporation of of Powder Mountain into a township and dragging many residents of the Eden area kicking and screaming into the town without any say if they want to be
part of the town. This is money, greed, and power at work with zero regard to anyone's personal or civil rights.Show up on Monday and we will have press coverage and photos from all the newspapers as well as a possible TV spot. We need to get these people from Powder Mountain in the spotlight and have them explain why they are forcing some Eden residents into this incorporation.
Larry and Sharon Zini
UPDATE: 8:00 PM
Be sure to read the detailed posts regarding HB 466 at the Weber County Forum and the Utah Wingmen for Property Tax RE-Forum sites.
Click here or on the signature button to sign the Petition.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Powderville Protest Saturday Morning - be there!
A future "Powderville" resident is organizing a protest tomorrow morning along Powder Mountain road and we think it is for a good cause. Please get up early and let your feelings be known.
Here are the details from an email we just received:
Click here or on the signature button to sign the Petition.
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Here are the details from an email we just received:
I am going to stage a protest tomorrow morning along Powder Mountain road.
8:30-10 am
on the road just past Wolf Creek golf course and
before Juniper Lane where the road is extra wide (so we don't impede
traffic.)
Can you help me get the word out?
We need people to
make signs
and come stand out there.
"NO PWDR MTN TOWN", etc would
be good.
I don't think out of towners will understand "Powderville."
Protests that hit Powderville owners in the pocket may be the only language they know - but we doubt they even speak that language. See you Saturday morning!
UPDATE: Be sure to read the latest post on the Weber County Forum that addresses Powder Mountain's Incorporation proposal.
Click here or on the signature button to sign the Petition.
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Wednesday, February 13, 2008
"Powderville"
UPDATES BELOW (last update 2-14-08 @ 0700 am)
The petition to the Utah legislators has gained incredible momentum and will be delivered to the Lawmakers on Monday, February 18, 2008. Be sure to sign the petition, but also encourage everyone you know to sign the petition. Spouses, neighbors and friends (and even enemies) are certainly opposed to the ill fated incorporation, so get them to visit our site to take a stand.
Also, The new town of "Powderville" has its first newsletter and we are honored to publish it on our forum. Mark Arnold and his public relations posse (aka project managers) have been meeting with small groups of Powderville residents and here is a run down of one of those meetings as written by a resident of the proposed town - the name Powderville certainly fits.
This is a must read for all!
The petition to the Utah legislators has gained incredible momentum and will be delivered to the Lawmakers on Monday, February 18, 2008. Be sure to sign the petition, but also encourage everyone you know to sign the petition. Spouses, neighbors and friends (and even enemies) are certainly opposed to the ill fated incorporation, so get them to visit our site to take a stand.
Also, The new town of "Powderville" has its first newsletter and we are honored to publish it on our forum. Mark Arnold and his public relations posse (aka project managers) have been meeting with small groups of Powderville residents and here is a run down of one of those meetings as written by a resident of the proposed town - the name Powderville certainly fits.
This is a must read for all!
The Town of Powder Mountain…
Our Take of the Neighborhood Meetings
or
What’s Happening in Powderville?
I was talking to a friend from Eden yesterday and he asked me how the incorporation of Powderville was going. The name kind of stuck on me because it sounded like the area of town that was located on the other side of the tracks. You know, that part of town where the services were not quite so good and those people live there. So forgive me but there it is: Powderville.
This is where a series of meetings was held last weekend in our neighbor’s homes with one of the investors of Powder Mountain and here’s my take on it:
The meetings were organized by: click here for moreUPDATE: 6:00 PM
We have included a sample email many are sending to their contacts. Copy and paste into your email program and send to everyone you know.
Also, Minor Machman provides a rundown of recent happenings at the Capital, and it does not appear the lesislature is on the side of Ogden Valley residents.
Lastly, be sure to read the comments below regarding the perceived integrity of our greedy developors.
2-14-08 @ 0700 am
We just read Marshall Thompson's article about the Ogden Valley Petition in today's Standard Examiner.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
More from Powder Mountain
Be sure to read Rudi's informative post today on the Weber County Forum. He includes recent articles about our Greedy neighbors at Powder Mountain as well as the letter to the editor we posted Friday from Deja Mitchell that ran in today's Standard Examiner.
Click here or on the signature button to sign the Petition.
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Click here or on the signature button to sign the Petition.
If you enjoyed this post, consider subscribing to Ogden Valley Forum's feed. It's free, and you won't receive any spam or more than one email a day. To sign up, go to the Ogden Valley Forum home page and enter your email address under "For email updates, subscribe below" on the right side of the page.
Friday, February 08, 2008
Letter to Editor from Ogden Valley resident and informational page for SB 25
We are including a link to the State Legislature's web site which includes details on SB 25. From there you will find links to audio files of the floor debates on the bill as well as the full text of the bill.
Additionally, in today's Standard we read that Powder Mountain's Brooke Hontz met with Cache County Planners to explain how the petition to incorporate will affect service agreements with Cache County. It seems like more smoke behind the screen to us.
We are having excellent success with our petition regarding Powder Mountain, but we can do better. Please encourage your spouses, friends and neighbors to sign the petition.
Also, we are posting a letter to the editor from local resident Deja Mitchell that was submitted to several publications. Deja is one of the residents whose property is being swept up in Powder Mountain's selfish scheme to force uninterested and unsuspecting residents into their new "town."
Thanks Deja!
Here is her fabulous letter:
Click here or on the signature button to sign the Petition.
If you enjoyed this post, consider subscribing to Ogden Valley Forum's feed. It's free, and you won't receive any spam or more than one email a day. To sign up, go to the Ogden Valley Forum home page and enter your email address under "For email updates, subscribe below" on the right side of the page.
Additionally, in today's Standard we read that Powder Mountain's Brooke Hontz met with Cache County Planners to explain how the petition to incorporate will affect service agreements with Cache County. It seems like more smoke behind the screen to us.
We are having excellent success with our petition regarding Powder Mountain, but we can do better. Please encourage your spouses, friends and neighbors to sign the petition.
Also, we are posting a letter to the editor from local resident Deja Mitchell that was submitted to several publications. Deja is one of the residents whose property is being swept up in Powder Mountain's selfish scheme to force uninterested and unsuspecting residents into their new "town."
Thanks Deja!
Here is her fabulous letter:
It was a shock to learn about Powder Mountain’s move to sweep my neighborhood and me into a town in order to go around the reasonable building stipulations put forth by the Ogden Valley Planning Committee. I learned that this was not a democratic process. I would not be able to vote on whether to be in or form the township, I would not have a vote on the town officials, and there was no study as to the tax needs or feasibility of the town.
As notice of the township move, Powder Mountain invited my neighbors and I to a “friendly meeting” to get our new town off to a great start. The meeting would be just a few days away and the location was changed at the last minute.
I was so proud when my neighbors called an emergency meeting to communicate together about what was happening. They pulled together to set up calling lists and
research groups to let everyone know where and when the meeting would be and to
gain some footing about what was happening.
At the meeting with the PM representatives, they had no answers or information for us. It felt so belittling! Since then, the PM owners have set up small, private meetings with groups of my neighbors. Why would they not provide a public meeting? I can only assume it is to do salesmanship to divide and conquer, pitting neighbor against neighbor.
I have to thank from the bottom of my heart my neighbors for acting quickly and showing each other support in this issue. And to the Ogden Valley Blog team for being proactive and putting all the pertinent information in one place. I would not have had the time or resources to research everything myself so quickly. They had links to background information that helped me to understand how PM could make such a move and what others and I could and were doing to remedy the situation. The blog became my lifeline and a way to not feel completely powerless.
I urge every Valley resident to take a moment to find out what is happening. The potential PM incorporation will forever change and in my mind destroy the Valley and the place I love most. You can each make a huge difference and rally together.
Deja Mitchell
Eden
Click here or on the signature button to sign the Petition.
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Thursday, February 07, 2008
Some encouraging news out of Wasatch County
Some encouraging news in this morning's Salt Lake Tribune and Deseret News.
This may very well provide the ammunition some of "Powder Mountain's 100" (100 minimum residents required to incorporate) need to ask Weber County to "opt out" of the incorporation.
Now this is where the story takes a turn to the darkside.
Did you catch that? The speaker of the House and lobbyists attempted to strongarm Wasatch county by instructing them not to delay the town's incorporporation to ensure it would not be stopped by pending legislation, i.e. SB 25.
The tribune reported:
Back to the Deseret News,
It gets worse. Sadly, one of the main lobbyists for HB 466 and against SB 25, the bill to correct HB 466's inequities, is the Utah League of Cities and Towns.
One of the Utah League's lobbyists, Jodi Hoffman, just happens to also be an attorney representing the Independence incorporation.
On the topic, the Deseret News states:
Are you beginning to notice a common thread of corruption and conflicts of interest in our legislature? Hoffman wears the hat of lobbyist for the Utah League of Cities and Towns, but represents a developer attempting to use the flawed bill. Speaker of the House Curtis uses strongarm tactics to bully Wasatch County into hurrying along an incorporation petition.
To the north, Cache Valley Senator Lyle Hillyard supports HB 466 and also just happens to be a lawyer representing Powder Mountain. And Powder Mountain gets their girl, Jamie Lythgoe, on the Weber County Planning Commission. She incessantly denies any conflict, but when Powder Mountain bullies Weber County residents through incorporation, she is among the first to sign the petition for incorporation.
This is playing on both sides of the fence in its purest form.
Click here or on the signature button to sign the Petition.
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The Wasatch County Council voted 4-3 to let a group of apartment residents out of the boundaries of the proposed town of
Hideout, thereby killing its incorporation.
It also voted 6-1 to table the incorporation of the proposed
town of Independence, after voting to let eight properties in the area
out of the town. The vote was tabled until next Wednesday to give the county time to ask the state to redo its population count for the town.
This may very well provide the ammunition some of "Powder Mountain's 100" (100 minimum residents required to incorporate) need to ask Weber County to "opt out" of the incorporation.
Now this is where the story takes a turn to the darkside.
Following the meeting, Wasatch County Attorney Thomas Low told the Deseret Morning News that he met last week with Utah Speaker of the House Greg Curtis, R-Sandy, and lobbyists from Hideout and the Utah Association of Counties concerning Hideout's annexation. Low was asked to tell the council not to delay the town's incorporation to ensure it wouldn't be stopped by a bill pending in the House that would change
incorporation law, he said.
Did you catch that? The speaker of the House and lobbyists attempted to strongarm Wasatch county by instructing them not to delay the town's incorporporation to ensure it would not be stopped by pending legislation, i.e. SB 25.
The tribune reported:
But Council Chairman Steve Farrell, who voted to reject, said the law is unclear. And, in an apparent reference to Utah House Speaker Greg Curtis, he expressed his belief that the county was being "blackmailed."
Back to the Deseret News,
Residents who knew of the meeting among Curtis, Hideout
officials and Low were perturbed at Wednesday's meeting.
"He came here and intimidated our county
attorney," said Wasatch resident Julia Connery. "It makes us
nervous."
It gets worse. Sadly, one of the main lobbyists for HB 466 and against SB 25, the bill to correct HB 466's inequities, is the Utah League of Cities and Towns.
One of the Utah League's lobbyists, Jodi Hoffman, just happens to also be an attorney representing the Independence incorporation.
On the topic, the Deseret News states:
Jodi Hoffman, an attorney for the Independence incorporation, said she helped
draft the controversial 2007 bill in her role as lobbyist for the Utah League of
Cities and Towns. She also said the league doesn't think her representing
Independence is a conflict of interest because, in part, the league never voted
to support the 2007 bill. Also, Hoffman said she didn't meet with the
Independence petitioners until months after the bill was signed into law.
Are you beginning to notice a common thread of corruption and conflicts of interest in our legislature? Hoffman wears the hat of lobbyist for the Utah League of Cities and Towns, but represents a developer attempting to use the flawed bill. Speaker of the House Curtis uses strongarm tactics to bully Wasatch County into hurrying along an incorporation petition.
To the north, Cache Valley Senator Lyle Hillyard supports HB 466 and also just happens to be a lawyer representing Powder Mountain. And Powder Mountain gets their girl, Jamie Lythgoe, on the Weber County Planning Commission. She incessantly denies any conflict, but when Powder Mountain bullies Weber County residents through incorporation, she is among the first to sign the petition for incorporation.
This is playing on both sides of the fence in its purest form.
Click here or on the signature button to sign the Petition.
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Wednesday, February 06, 2008
We finally dug out! Don't forget to sign the Powder Mountain Petition
Some local "old timers" are calling this winter the biggest snow year since 1947 or '48. In light of the many dry years, we at the forum would concur that this has been an 'epic' year - the best we remember.
But we are not ready to cry 'uncle' just yet. We love the snow and have made room for more, so bring it on! While we are at it, we may need to have the "Bangerter Pumps" dusted off, as spring flooding seems inevitable.
Ogden Valley's snow is defininitely garnering the attention of the State rags, aka the Standard and the Salt Lake Tribune, as the Tribune procliams "Four Feet in Four Days."
And while we have been busy digging out from our record storms, our old friend Rudi at the Weber County Forum has been busy covering the Powder Mountain incorporation. Yes, the incorporation proposed by ruthless developers who are so concerned about protecting "THEIR property rights," but don't give a damn about OUR property rights.
Long after our greedy neighbors have cashed in and moved on to ruin another utopia, we will be here to suffer through their selfish impact.
Be sure to sign the petition urging lawmakers to approve SB 25 - the bill that will rectify the items supposedly "overlooked" in HB 466.
Time is of the essence!
Click here or on the signature button to sign the Petition.
If you enjoyed this post, consider subscribing to Ogden Valley Forum's feed. It's free, and you won't receive any spam or more than one email a day. To sign up, go to the Ogden Valley Forum home page and enter your email address under "For email updates, subscribe below" on the right side of the page.
But we are not ready to cry 'uncle' just yet. We love the snow and have made room for more, so bring it on! While we are at it, we may need to have the "Bangerter Pumps" dusted off, as spring flooding seems inevitable.
Ogden Valley's snow is defininitely garnering the attention of the State rags, aka the Standard and the Salt Lake Tribune, as the Tribune procliams "Four Feet in Four Days."
And while we have been busy digging out from our record storms, our old friend Rudi at the Weber County Forum has been busy covering the Powder Mountain incorporation. Yes, the incorporation proposed by ruthless developers who are so concerned about protecting "THEIR property rights," but don't give a damn about OUR property rights.
Long after our greedy neighbors have cashed in and moved on to ruin another utopia, we will be here to suffer through their selfish impact.
Be sure to sign the petition urging lawmakers to approve SB 25 - the bill that will rectify the items supposedly "overlooked" in HB 466.
Time is of the essence!
Click here or on the signature button to sign the Petition.
If you enjoyed this post, consider subscribing to Ogden Valley Forum's feed. It's free, and you won't receive any spam or more than one email a day. To sign up, go to the Ogden Valley Forum home page and enter your email address under "For email updates, subscribe below" on the right side of the page.
Friday, February 01, 2008
Petition to Utah Legislature regarding S.B.25s02 that will rectify the Powder Mountain incorporation
Good Afternoon Ogden Valley,
Be sure to sign the petition requesting Utah legislative support of S.B.25s02. This bill will abolish the detrimental provisions of H.B.466 and provide a sensible path for incorporation of Utah Towns in the future.
In other words, SB 25 will rectify the issues surrounding the Powder Mountain incorporation application.
Click here or on the signature button to sign the Petition.
Also, be sure to contact all state representatives, especially Senators, and request their support of S.B. 25s02
To view their contact information and to read more about the inequities of HB 466 (the bill SB 25 amends), visit:
http://www.amendhb466.org/
Phone calls are much more effective than emails. If possible, call AND email ALL legislators.
Be sure to pass this on to everyone you know and encourage them to sign the petition and contact their Senators and Representatives.
Be sure to sign the petition requesting Utah legislative support of S.B.25s02. This bill will abolish the detrimental provisions of H.B.466 and provide a sensible path for incorporation of Utah Towns in the future.
In other words, SB 25 will rectify the issues surrounding the Powder Mountain incorporation application.
Click here or on the signature button to sign the Petition.
Also, be sure to contact all state representatives, especially Senators, and request their support of S.B. 25s02
To view their contact information and to read more about the inequities of HB 466 (the bill SB 25 amends), visit:
http://www.amendhb466.org/
Phone calls are much more effective than emails. If possible, call AND email ALL legislators.
Be sure to pass this on to everyone you know and encourage them to sign the petition and contact their Senators and Representatives.
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